The federal government has issued new guidelines for the removal of federal tertiary institutions from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). The IPPIS, introduced in 2006 to centralize the payment of public sector employees, had become a source of contention for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Many institutions claimed the system allowed unilateral manipulation, eroded the authority of provosts and governing councils, and centralized hiring decisions.
In response to these concerns, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) proposed the Unified Treasury Accounting System (UTAS) as an alternative. Now, the federal government, through a circular from the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, has approved the removal of tertiary institutions from the IPPIS, granting them greater autonomy in managing payroll.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved this move, and tertiary institutions are expected to transition by November 2024. According to Madein, the payroll for October will still be processed through IPPIS, but starting in November, institutions will handle their payrolls, subject to vetting by the IPPIS department.
Institutions will now use the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) for payroll processing. To facilitate this transition, institutions must submit GIFMIS enrollment forms for payroll personnel by October 21. This will provide access to the personnel cost budget on the GIFMIS platform.
Additionally, the circular instructed federal tertiary institutions to compile data on outstanding promotion and salary arrears and forward it to the budget office for further processing. Employees’ bank details must also be validated and uploaded to GIFMIS within the specified timeframe.
The government’s decision is aimed at providing institutional autonomy and resolving long-standing payroll disputes within the education sector.
